[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 19, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H3376-H3377]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




MAKING IN ORDER ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS AND MODIFICATION TO AMENDMENT 13 
      DURING FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4200, NATIONAL DEFENSE 
                 AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, first I just want to commend the chairman 
pro tempore, the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), who has presided 
over the last several hours of debate. I thank him for a great job.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during further 
consideration of H.R. 4200, pursuant to House Resolution 648, the 
amendments I have placed at the desk shall be in order as though 
printed in House Report 108-499 and numbered 29, 30, 31, and 32; and
  amendment No. 13 in that report be modified in the form that I have 
placed at the desk; and
  the amendments and the modification that I have placed at the desk 
shall be considered as read for purposes of this unanimous consent 
request.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I shall 
not object at this point, but I wish to offer a brief explanation to 
one aspect of one of the amendments addressed by this request offered 
by the gentleman from California, and I do so on behalf of my 
colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Marshall).
  Mr. Speaker, if you read the text of the amendment, it is very 
difficult to decipher, so the unanimous consent request makes in order 
this amendment to correct a mistake in the drafting of the bill. The 
amendment proposes to add a military construction project to replace 
the fire crash/rescue station for Warner Robins Air Force Base, 
Georgia. The amendment offsets this addition by deleting another 
military construction project, the Visitors Quarters at Homestead Air 
Reserve Base in Florida.
  With that explanation, Mr. Speaker, I agree with the chairman in his 
request.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the amendments and the modification are as follows:


                            amendment no. 29

       At the end of title X (page 409, after line 13), insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 1077. PLACEMENT OF MEMORIAL IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL 
                   CEMETERY HONORING NONCITIZENS KILLED IN THE 
                   LINE OF DUTY WHILE SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES 
                   OF THE UNITED STATES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Army shall place in 
     Arlington National Cemetery a memorial marker honoring the 
     service and sacrifice of noncitizens killed in the line of 
     duty while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States.

[[Page H3377]]

       (b) Approval of Design and Site.--The Secretary of the 
     Army, in consultation with Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
     shall approve an appropriate design and site within Arlington 
     National Cemetery for the memorial marker provided for under 
     subsection (a).
       (c) Use of Federal Funds.--Federal funds shall not be 
     required or permitted to be used for the design and 
     construction of the memorial marker provided for under 
     subsection (a).
       (d) Authority To Accept Donations.--(1) The Secretary of 
     the Army may accept gifts and donations of services, money, 
     and property (including personal, tangible, or intangible 
     property) for the design and construction of the memorial 
     marker provided for under subsection (a).
       (2) The authority of the Secretary of the Army to accept 
     gifts and donations under paragraph (1) shall expire on the 
     date that is five years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.


                            amendment no. 30

       Page 479, in the table following line 9--
       (1) in the item for Robins Air Force Base, strike 
     ``$15,000,000'' and insert ``$21,570,000''; and
       (2) in the total at the bottom of the table, strike 
     ``$398,714,000'' and insert ``$405,284,000''.
       Page 483, line 2, strike ``$2,493,679,000'' and insert 
     ``$2,500,249,000''.
       Page 483, line 5, strike ``$398,714,000'' and insert 
     ``$405,284,000''.
       Page 492, line 7, strike ``$114,090,000'' and insert 
     ``$107,520,000''.


                            amendment no. 31

       At the end of title I (page 27, after line 10), insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. __. TRANSFER OF CERTAIN ARMY PROCUREMENT FUNDS.

       (a) Increase for Certain Helicopter Items.--The amount 
     provided in section 101(1) for procurement of aircraft for 
     the Army is hereby increased by $4,000,000, of which--
       (1) $2,000,000 shall be available for procurement of the 
     Aircraft Wireless Intercom System; and
       (2) $2,000,000 shall be available for procurement of 
     bladefold kits for Apache Helicopters.
       (b) Offset.--The amount provided in section 101(5) for 
     Other Procurement, Army, is hereby reduced by $4,000,000, to 
     be derived from amounts for Information Systems.


                            amendment no. 32

       At the end of subtitle F of title V (page 172, after line 
     9), insert the following new section:

     SEC. 5__. ESTABLISHMENT OF COLLEGE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 
                   PROGRAM FOR DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL 
                   GUARD.

       (a) Authority.--Under regulations prescribed by the 
     Secretary of Defense, the Secretary concerned may, in 
     recognition of the unique position of the District of 
     Columbia in the Federal system, provide financial assistance 
     to eligible members of the National Guard of the District of 
     Columbia for expenses of such a member while enrolled in an 
     approved institution of higher education in a degree, 
     certificate, or other program (including a program of study 
     abroad approved for credit by the institution of higher 
     education) leading to a recognized educational credential at 
     the institution of higher education. Any such assistance may 
     be provided only during the program applicability period 
     specified in subsection (i).
       (b) Authority Subject to Availability of Appropriations.--
     The authority provided in subsection (a) is subject to the 
     availability of appropriations for that purpose.
       (c) Eligibility.--To be eligible for financial assistance 
     under this section, a member of the National Guard of the 
     District of Columbia must--
       (1) be a member of the National Guard of the District of 
     Columbia for not less than the 12 consecutive months 
     preceding the commencement of the tuition assistance and 
     continue to be such a member while receiving such assistance;
       (2) agree to serve one year in the National Guard of the 
     District of Columbia for each academic year of assistance 
     provided;
       (3) be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a program of 
     education referred to in subsection (a) at an institution of 
     higher education; and
       (4) if already enrolled, maintain satisfactory progress in 
     the course of study the member is pursuing in accordance with 
     section 484(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1091(c)).
       (d) Covered Expenses.--Expenses for which financial 
     assistance may be provided under this section are the 
     following:
       (1) Tuition and fees charged by an approved institution of 
     higher education involved.
       (2) The cost of books.
       (3) Laboratory expenses.
       (e) Amount.--(1) The amount of financial assistance 
     provided to a member of the National Guard of the District of 
     Columbia under this section shall be prescribed by the 
     Secretary concerned, but may not exceed $2,500 for any 
     academic year. The Secretary concerned shall prorate 
     assistance under this section for members who pursue a 
     program of education on less than a full-time basis.
       (2) A member may not receive more than $12,500 under this 
     section.
       (f) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to require an institution of higher education to 
     alter the institution's admissions policies or standards in 
     any manner to enable a member of the National Guard of the 
     District of Columbia to enroll in the institution.
       (g) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``approved institution of higher education'' 
     means an institution of higher education (as defined in 
     section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1001)) that--
       (A) is eligible to participate in the student financial 
     assistance programs under title IV of the Higher Education 
     Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.); and
       (B) has entered into an agreement with the Secretary 
     concerned containing such conditions as the Secretary may 
     specify, including a requirement that the institution use the 
     funds made available under this section to supplement and not 
     supplant assistance that otherwise would be provided to 
     eligible students from the District of Columbia National 
     Guard.
       (2) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
     means--
       (A) the Secretary of the Army, in the case of the Army 
     National Guard of the District of Columbia; and
       (B) the Secretary of the Air Force, in the case of the Air 
     National Guard of the District of Columbia.
       (h) Annual Report.--At the close of each year during which 
     the program under this section is in effect, the Secretary of 
     Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
     a report on the effectiveness of the program in improving 
     recruiting and retention for the District of Columbia 
     National Guard. Each such report shall include such 
     recommendations for changes in law or policy as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate. In the first such report, the 
     Secretary shall include an analysis of means for improving 
     the effectiveness as a recruitment and retention incentive of 
     any program providing tuition assistance for members of the 
     District of Columbia National Guard in existence as of the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.
       (i) Program Applicability Period.--Financial assistance may 
     be provided under this section to eligible members of the 
     National Guard of the District of Columbia for periods of 
     instruction that begin during the three-year period beginning 
     on the date of the enactment of this Act.


                     amendment no. 13, as modified

       At the end of title XXXI (page 556, after line 10), insert 
     the following new section:

     SEC. 31__. ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR DEFENSE SITE ACCELERATION 
                   COMPLETION.

       (a) Additional Amount.--The amount in section 3102 is 
     hereby increased by $50,000,000, to be available under 
     section 3102(1) for defense site acceleration completion.
       (b) Offset.--The amount in section 301(4), operation and 
     maintenance, Air Force, is hereby reduced by $50,000,000, to 
     be derived from the transportation capital fund.

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